‘Absolute Outrage’: Police Union Slams City’s Plan to Give ‘Massive Settlement’ to Family of Black Father Accused of Killing Cop After His Son’s Death
Cincinnati cops are seething at the thought of a “massive settlement” being approved by the city for the family of Ryan Hinton, an 18-year-old Black teen shot and killed by police last year, resulting in the teen’s father allegedly striking and killing a sheriff’s deputy the following day in retaliation. Rodney Hinton Jr., the father, remains incarcerated, facing a possible death penalty. Ken Kober, left, the president of the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police, accused the city of negotiating a secret settlement in the case of Ryan Hinton, bottom right, the 18-year-old gunned down by Cincinnati police, resulting in his father, Rodney Hinton Jr., top middle, allegedly killing an Ohio deputy with his car the following day. (Photo: linkedin.com/in/ken-kober-307a74247, Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and gofundme.com/f/help-honor-ryan-hintons-memory-and-seek-justice) But the Cincinnati City Council has been discussing a possible settlement to the Hinton family over the shooting death of the teen, according to Ken Kober, president of the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police. "This is an absolute outrage − crime literally pays in Cincinnati under this city manager," Kober said in a statement to local media. “It's a slap in the face to every law enforcement officer risking their lives, a betrayal of the public trust, and a disgusting message that targeting cops has no consequences. This shady, underhanded deal must be stopped.” ‘I Don’t Give a F*ck!’: Racist Ohio Man Becomes ‘Internet Famous’ After Harassing the Wrong Woman In Bar Kober claimed in a published statement without evidence that a “backroom deal” was being orchestrated by Cincinnati City Manager Sheryl Long, whom he accuses of “quietly negotiating a massive settlement” with the Hinton family. The settlement was expected to be discussed by the city council during a closed-door session on Monday, Jan. 12, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. But reporters waited two hours after the council went into the closed-door session to discuss "pending or imminent court action,” only for council members to emerge without saying a word about what was discussed, the Enquirer reported. “News of a possible settlement in the case sparked strong reactions from police, the public, and some council members,” the Enquirer reported after being denied comment following the closed-door session. Ryan Hinton was killed on May 1 last year after Cincinnati police chased him and three other Black males from an alleged stolen car. Police claimed Hinton pointed a gun at an officer, who then shot the teen, killing him. Prosecutors cleared the cop but never released his name, citing an Ohio law meant to protect the names of crime victims from being publicized. Prosecutors released body camera video, which was inconclusive as to whether Hinton pointed a gun at the officer. Hinton’s family does not believe he had a gun. The day after the shooting, Rodney Hinton Jr. got into his car and struck and killed Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy Larry Henderson, who was not involved in his son’s shooting death. ‘Reckless, Speculative, and Highly Inflammatory’ It is not clear how Kober arrived at his belief that a settlement was in the works, but the family of Hinton has not even filed a lawsuit, which is what usually leads to a settlement. Fanon Rucker, the attorney representing the Hinton family, expressed surprise to local media when questioned about the possible settlement agreement. "When I was told that the city is negotiating a massive settlement with millions of dollars, my first statement was, well, that's news to me," Rucker said. Long, the Black city manager accused by the police union chief of orchestrating the agreement, also expressed surprise, telling local media she was not aware of such a deal. "I speak regularly with Mr. Kober and we have had no prior conversations about this matter or his baseless allegations," Long said in her statement to local media. "Reckless, speculative, and highly inflammatory statements like these only do further harm to both our police officers and the wider Cincinnati community.” Kober has a history of making attacks on Black women who hold positions of power in the city of Cincinnati, including trying to get Iris Roley fired last year from her consulting job, where her main role was to advise on police-community relations. Kober last year launched a petition accusing Roley of harassing and interfering with police officers, but Roley still has her job. He also criticized Vice Mayor Jan Michele Lemon Kearney for calling for white agitators to be arrested along with Black agitators in last year’s brawl in downtown that made national news, accusing the Black woman of "playing politics and attempting to override the professional judgment of law enforcement or prosecutors.” He has also criticized white politicians and judges for not placing police on a pedestal and has defended Black female officers who have been fired, including Danita Pettis, a Black captain fired in 2024 who is currently suing to get her job back. But his latest attacks have so far proved to have no substance. “Sheryl Long is sneaking around behind closed doors, trying to shove taxpayers' hard-earned money at the family of a cold-blooded cop-killer who deliberately mowed down Deputy Henderson just days after his son pointed a gun at one of our officers,” he said in his one-page statement to the media on Jan. 8. In 2023, Kober replaced the previous union president, Dan Hils, who had been accused by a Black police advocacy group of failing “to equally represent African-American officers within the Cincinnati Police Department in matters ranging from discipline to promotions.” Atlanta Black Star has contacted the police union president, but has not received a response.
